In Freddie’s footsteps

Graham McKenzie wasn’t sure what to expect when he flew low cost across the Atlantic, but was pleasantly surprised…

When Norwegian announced it was going to start flying long-haul routes from the UK I, like many people I am sure, felt a tinge of excitement. The well known ‘quality’ low-cost short-haul carrier was going to branch out by flying to many of the destinations me, my family and friends would want to go to. Low cost across the Atlantic has been the dream and the aspiration of many an airline over the years since the days of Freddie Laker, but for a modern airline with new aircraft it has always seemed to be something that was just out of reach. The business model of running a short-haul fleet alongside long-haul aircraft was the domain of the legacy airlines, and not the European low-cost upstarts. Norwegian has other ideas and has a vision that ‘Everyone should afford to fly’. Not especially good English, but it probably translates very well into Norwegian, and I am sure you get the sentiment, which is admirable.

So what is the service like? I was lucky enough to fly from Fort Lauderdale back to Gatwick on one of Norwegian’s brand spanking new Dreamliners. Straightaway it has an advantage, in that you can avoid Miami which from an arrival perspective is a nightmare. Reports from my family say that the airport at FLL is no better, but according to the folks who know about these things plans are afoot to vastly improve this over the next few months with new terminal facilities, more immigration personnel and more technology. It’s not something you can lay at the door of Norwegian Air, but still an irritant.

As for the in-flight experience, I was expecting something akin to easyJet or Ryanair, but was delighted to report that it was a big leap up from that. The aircraft themselves help as the Dreamliners are much quieter than the norm, have a vastly improved air quality and have the latest seat screen technology. Based around common and modern standards (android operating system) the screen provides a whole host of entertainment, journey information and the innovative snack system. Whilst you have to pre-order meals, the screen allows you, by swiping your credit card, to order snacks and drinks that are bought directly to your seat. Whilst I did not need any snacks, I did forget to bring earphones and all I had to do was swipe, click and literally seconds later they were in my hand (and then ears). One small note of caution, though, is that the wi-fi, available on European routes, is not accessible on transatlantic flights. One niggle was the automatic announcements that accompanied various stages of the flight, such as the snack bar being open, and most annoying the duty free opening as it coincided with me and many others about to drop into a transatlantic slumber.

Inside a Norwegian DreamLiner, not the Ministry of Sound

The lighting in the cabin is very cool and whilst I don’t believe there is any empirical evidence to suggest it makes you less susceptible to jet lag or other long haul ailments, it does look wicked.

Seats are fairly regular in size, although bizarrely look a little old fashioned at first sight, but they are not. It’s down to some Scandinavian retro thing which, coupled with the uniforms of the attendants, look, to me, straight out of a fifties movie. Food arrived, was edible but no better than anything else served at 35,000ft mid-Atlantic. I had a cheese pasta dish which had salad and a too sweet pudding. Dont get me wrongI am not about to book at set of seats for four at seven thirty but it was more than adequate.

So, all in all, Norwegian simplifies the process of flying, makes it affordable, comfortable, and make it just that bit more pleasant.